Sander



Feb. 18, i936.

L.. K. sgLLcox SANDER Filed Feb. 26, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet l Gttomegs L. K. SILLCOX Feb. 18, i936.

SAND-ER Filed Feb. 26, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet. 2

l'mventor (lttornegs Patented Feb. 18, 1936 SANDER Lewis K. Sillcox,

The New York Air tion of New Jersey Application February 26, 1934, Serial No.

13 Claims.

This invention relates to sanders for railway motive power, and particularly steam locomogear characterized by a starting position different from the running position.

Generally stated, automatic sanding is dependent, according to this invention, on the concurrence of three conditions, namelyz-(l) the throttle or its equivalent must be open, (2) the speed must be below a definite critical value, (3) the valve gear or its equivalent must be in starting position (full gear position in a steam engine).

When the valve gear (or starting gear) is of the reversing type, as it is in the case of steam locomotives, the difference between the forward starting position and the reverse starting position is availed of to eifect a selection between a forward sander and a reverse sander.

Thus if a locomotive is at rest and the engineer puts the reversing valve gear in full gear forward or in full gear reverse, he conditions the sanding system to commence sanding upon the opening of the throttle. Such sanding will then continue until the valve gear is shifted toward mid-gear position, or until the critical speed is attained, whichever occurs rst.

Two embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,-

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic elevation of those components of a locomotive which are related to the sanding mechanism, showing how the automatic sanding controls may be mechanically actuated.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view lof the valve mechanism actuated by the reversing gear.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. l, but showing equivalent electrical actuation of the sanding controls.

Referring rst to Figs. 1 and 3, the loco-motive drivers appear at 6 and one wheel of the pony truck at 1, a side rod at 8, a connecting rod at 9, a portion of a cross head at II, a piston rod at I2, a cylinder at I3, and a valve chest at I4. The following components of the familiar Walschaert reversing valve gear will be readily recognizedcombining lever I5, radius rod I3, slotted rocker I'I, eccentric rod I8 and eccentric driving pin I 9. The action of the parts I to I9 is too well known to require explanation, beyond pointing out that the position of rock shaft 2| which carries arm 22 connected by link 23 with radius rod I6, determines the setting of the Watertown, N. Y.,

Brake Company,

assignor to a corporavalve gear to control the direction of running and also the cut-off. The valve gear is illustrated as set in mid-gear position.

Rock shaft 2| is positioned through arm 24 and link 25, by any suitable reversing lever Power and. manual latch 29 and latch sector 3I. The lever 28 is operatively connected with the throttle valve (not shown) by a reach rod 32, slidable on a guideway in bracket 2l.

There are two pneumatic Sanders 33 and. 34, the sander 33 discharging through a sand delivering pipe 35 forward of the forward driver, and the sander 34 discharging through the delivery pipe 36 to the rear of the rear driver.

The pipe 31 leading from the main reservoir of compressed air, is connected the invention shown in purely mechanical, and will now are so arranged that the` cam 44 maintains the valve 42 closed when the throttle is closed but permits the valve 42 to open upon the initial opening movement of the throttle. The opening of the valve 42 admits compressed air to the pipe 45 which is connected through the speed control valve 46 to a pipe 41. The speed control-valve 46 is operated by any suitable speed responsive device 4B, here driven through a belt 49 from a pulley 5I on the axle of one of theI drivers 6. The valve 46 and fly-ball governor 48 are essentially similar to the throttling governors formerly used quite' extensively on stationary steam engines. In the presshown as a fly-ball governor to be engaged by ent instance the device is so contrived that it interrupts flow from the pipe 45 to the pipe 41 when the locomotive speed rises above a denite critical value, say ten miles per hour.

In Fig. 1 the governor is shown as driven from the axle of one of the drivers. For practical reasons this is probably the simplest arrangement, but it is open to the objection that should the driver slip, sanding might be terminated. To overcome this difficulty the governor may be driven from one of the pony truck wheels 1, as is indicated in Fig. 3.

The pipe 41 leads to a casing 52 of a valve mechanism operated by Athe reverse gearY and serving both to afford a`selection between the two Sanders 33 and 34, and also to render these Sanders operative only when in full gearfposition so far as automatic sanding is concerned. The pipe 41 is connected to a chamber 53 above two poppet valves 54 and 55. These valves are seated by pressure in 55 and also by the compression springs 56 and 51. When the valve 54 is open, it admits compressed air to the chamber 58 which is connected by pipe 59 with the .sander 34. When the valve 55 is open it admits air to the. chamber 6| which is connected by the pipe 62 with the sander 33. The valve 54 has a stem 63 and the valve 55 has a stem 64, and these stems project through guideways to points outside the casing 52 where they may be engaged selectively by two arms of a three-arm lever 55 which is pivoted at 66 on the body 52. The third arm of the lever 65 projects downward in position adjustable lugs 61 and 68 carried by a cross head 69 mounted to reciprocate in guides 1 I.

The cross head 69 is connected by a link 'i2 with the arm 24. The parts are'so adjusted that if the arm 24 be moved to full gear position forward, the lug 68 will shiftlever 65 and unseat valve 55. On the other hand, if the arm 24 be shifted to full gear position for reverse running, the lug 61 will act through the lever 65 to open the valve 54. In all other positions than the. two full gear positions mentioned, the valves 54 and 55 are both closed.

It will be observed that the valves 42 and 46 are connected in series with each other and with the valves 54 and 55 respectively. Assuming that the engine is at rest with the throttle. closed, the

valve 42 will be closed and the valve 46 will be open. The rst operation in starting the engine is to shift the reverse gear to full gear forward or reverse, as the case may be. This will open .one of the valves 54 or 55, and .when the throttle lever 28 is moved to open the throttle, the valve 42 will open. Air will then iiow through the valves 42, 46 and either valve 54 or 55, as the case may be, to corresponding sanders 34 or 33. The sanding will continue until the speed is reached at which the valve 46 closes, or until the engineer shifts the reverse gear from full gear position, whichever occurs first.

The piping arrangements can be greatly simplied by availing of electrical circuits. Such an arrangement is shown in Fig. 3. Here the pipe 31 which supplies compressed air is connected directly with the pipe 15 leading through branches to two magnet valves 16 and 11. The magnet valve 16 controls flow through a pipe 18 to the sander 34. It is closed unless its winding 19 is excited. The magnet valve 11 controls flow to a pipe 8| connected with the sander 33 and is closed unless its winding 82 isl excited.

The throttle reach rod 32 carries a cam 83,

' 98. There are gear from full gear position,

variation, and

which in the throttle closing position of lever 28 holds the spring urged contactor 84 away from the contacts 85 and 86.

A wire 81 from any suitable source of current leads to contact 86 and wire 88 leads from contact 85 to a contact 89 mounted in the insulating sector 9|. A fly-ball governor 92 .driven by a belt 93 from a pulley 94 on the axle of the pony truck wheel 1, controls the position of a swinging contactor in such a way that when the engine is at rest and while the speed is below some critical value assumed to be ten miles an hour, the contactor 95 will engage the contact 89, but at speeds higher than the critical speed it will move out of contact with the contactor 89. The contactor 95 is connected by wire 95 with two contacts 91,

also related contacts 99 and IDI, thecontact 99 being connected to one terminal of winding 19, and the contact |9| being connected to one terminal of the winding 82.V The other terminals of the windings 19 and 82 are connected in common through the wire |03 with the source of current. Y

Connected to the arm 24 of the reversing gear is a rod |94 slidable in a guide |05'and carrying i and that these two valves are further connected in series through either the switch` contacts 91 and 99 or the contacts 98 and l0 with respective windings 19 or 82.v Consequently, the arrangement shown in Fig. 3, except that it is electrical instead of mechanical, is the samein 4principle as the structure shown in Fig. l.

With the engine at rest and the throttle closed, contactor 84 is in circuit-breaking position and contactor 95 is in circuit-making position. To start the engine the engineer will shift his valve gear either to full gear forward, or full gear reverse position, as circumstances may require, and in doing so he will cause contactor |06 to connect contacts 98 and |8| or 91 and 99, as the case may be.

' Upon initial movement in a throttle opening direction, the contactor 84 will close the circuit, which is otherwisecomplete, and sanding will commence. Sanding will continue until the speed of the locomotive passes the limit determined by the speed responsive switch, or until the engineer moves the. valve whichever occurs first.

In Fig. 3 the centrifugal control element, in this case a s `tch, is driven from the pony truck and consequently is not aected by slipping of the driver. This arrangement is preferred wherever practicable, but satisfactory results could be secured by driving the centrifugal switch from the axle of one. of the drivers, as proposed in Fig. 1.VV y

The arrangements of the throttle and valve gears of locomotives are subject to considerable the particular forms described in this application have been chosen for purposes of illustration and do notimply any necessary limitation to any particular type of locomotive. In fact, the invention is not limited-to use on steam locomotives. YThe reversing valvewgear may be regarded as typical of a starting and reversing of the throttle lever 28 f gear and functions to impose a control on automatic sanding dependent upon the existence of a condition characteristic of starting. Thus any reversing gear, whether technically a valve gear or not, might be used to control the valve mechanism such as that comprising the parts. 52 to 12 inclusive, or a switch mechanism such as that comprising the parts. 99 to IG! and |04 to IBS, provided such mechanism has a characteristic starting position different from the running position. Similarly, the throttle and its actuating lever 28 are typical of motive power controllers.

Generally stated the invention contemplates the occurrence of sanding upon the concurrence of three conditions, (1) the turning on of the power, (2) existence of vehicle speed below a given limit, and (3) a starting position of some controlling unit, preferably a reversing gear.

The invention is applicable to a wide range of railway motive power equipment responding to the general requirements just outlined.

What is claimed is,-

1. The combination of a motor vehicle; a sander therefor; a motive energy controller for the vehicle; a starting gear for the vehicle having a starting position; and sander actuating means controlled conjointly by said energy controller and said starting gear, and active to actuate said sander when motive energy is supplied with the starting gear in starting position.

2. The combination of a motor vehicle; a sander therefor; a motive energy controller for the vehicle; means responsive to vehicle speed and arranged to respond at a critical speed; and sander actuating means controlled conjointly by said energy controller and speed responsive means, and active to actuate said sander when motive energy is supplied at speeds below the critical speed.

3. The combination of a motor vehicle; a sander therefor; a motive energy controller for the vehicle; a starting gear for the vehicle having a starting position; means responsive to vehicle speed and arranged to respond at a critical speed; and sander actuating means controlled conjointly by said energy controller, starting gear and speed responsive means, and active to actuate said sander when motive energy is supplied at speeds below the critical speed with the starting gear in starting position.

4. The combination of a mo-tor vehicle; a forward sander and a reverse sander therefor; a motive energy controller for the vehicle; a reversing gear having a characteristic starting position for each direction of running; means for actuating said senders controlled conjointly by said energy controller and reversing gear, said actuating means being active to actuate said sander when motive energy is supplied with the reversing gear in a starting position; and means whereby the selection between forward and reverse starting positions controls a selection between the forward and reverse Sanders.

5. The combination of a motor vehicle; a forward sander and a reverse sander therefor; a motive energy controller for the vehicle; a reversing gear having a characteristic starting position for each direction of running; means responsive to vehicle speed and arranged to respond at a critical speed; means for actuating said Sanders controlled conjointly by said energy controller, reversing gear and speed responsive means, said actuating means being active to actuate said sander when motive energy is supplied at speeds below the critical speed with the reversing gear in a starting position; and means whereby the selection between forward and reverse starting positions effects a selection between `the forward and reverse Sanders.

responsive to vehicle speed and arranged to respond at a critical speed; means for actuating said Sanders controlled conjointly by said throttle,

reversing valve gear and speed responsive means, said actuating means being active to actuate said sander when the throttle is open, at speeds below the critical speed with the reversing valve gear in either full gear position; and means whereby the selection between forward and reverse full gear positions effects a selection between the forward and reverse Sanders.

'7. The combination of a locomotive having a reversing valve gear characterized by full gear positions forward and reverse and intermediate gear positions; pneumatic sanding means for said locomotive; automatic means exercising a primary control on the supply of motive air to said sanding means; and means exercising a secondary control on said flow of air, said means being operatively related with said valve gear and arranged to be actuated by the valve gear to permit such flow in the -respective full gear positions thereof and prevent such flow in said intermediate gear positions.

8. The combination of a motor vehicle; a pneumatically actuated sander therefor; a motive energy controller for the vehicle; a starting gear for the vehicle having a starting position; means responsive to vehicle speed and arranged to respond at a critical speed; and three means connected in series to control the supply of motive air to said sander, one of said means responding to the condition of the energy controller and terminating the supply of air when the supply of energy is cut off, another of said means responding to the position of said starting gear and terminating the supply of air when the starting gear is out of starting position, and the other of said means being controlled by said speed responsive means and terminating the supply of air when vehicle speed is above said critical speed.

9. The combination defined in claim 8, in which the three recited means controlling the supply of air to the sander comprise valve means arranged in series in the path of air flow to the sander.

10. The combination defined in claim 8, in which the three recited means comprise electric switches connected in series with the motive windings of an electrically actuated valve, said valve controlling the supply of motive air to said sander.

l1. 'I'he combination of a locomotive having cylinders, a variable cut-off distributing valve mechanism for said cylinders, and means controlling the supply of motive fluid to the cylinders through said valve mechanism; a sander; means for actuating the same; and means controlling said actuating means, said controlling means being individually responsive to the motive fluid supply, length of cut-olf and engine speed, and serving to render said actuating means inactive except when the motive fluid is being supplied at approximately maximum cut-olf and engine speed is below a chosen value.

l2. The combination of a locomotive having cylinders, a Variable cut-off distributing valve mechanism for said cylinders, and means controlling the supply of motive fluid to the cylinders through said valve mechanism; a sander; means for actuating the same; and means controlling said actuating means, said controlling means being responsive to the length of cut-oil and serving to render said actuating means inactive except when the cut-off is approximately the maximum.

13. The combination of a locomotive having when motive fluid is being supplied at approxi- 10 mately maximum cut-oil.

LEWIS K. SILLCOX. 

